Time is A Valuable Thing
by EternallyNostalgic
Summary: FE7. Lyndis discovers a ring that somehow causes big problems for her, Right when Hector wanted to spend more time with her. Could she unlock her future with this mystical ring? HecxLyn, KentxFlo, ElixNin. T for violence. COMPLETE.
1. Chapter 1

**Time is a valuable thing.**

**A/N:**** Hey Everyone! Here's another challenge I accepted from Dark Blaziken!**

A warm summer's day in the markets of Caelin's humble castle town, birds sung, and townsfolk laughed, the sun shone brightly upon every smiling passerby's face.

Many merchants from out-of-town would come here to sell their goods, making large profits every summer. Two knights from the castle were seen shopping, one wearing a fiery crimson armor, the other wearing forest green. The latter stopped every so often to chat up with the women shopkeepers while the orange-haired knight watched in embarrassment.

"Oh, come off it, Kent." The one in green exclaimed to his companion. "No one said I couldn't meet any lovely ladies while we were here."

Kent stopped walking to speak. "Sain. We are merely here for supplies, not to court women…"

Sain scoffed and gave him an odd look.

"You're never any fun…"

Soon they passed a small stand, sprinkled with rose petals and the like. A woman stood behind the stand, she was dressed in velvet red robes with gold tassels and trimmings. Her beautiful, bright green eyes glistened off the sunlight and her red hood covered most of her face, save for her eyes and a long, brown curl of hair near he neckline.

Sain stopped, awestruck by the women's beauty.

"May I help you?" She asked suddenly, snapping the green knight to his senses.

"No." Kent said flatly, yet politely.

"Oh?" The woman held out her hand slowly, placing something into Sain's hands.

He took the small item in his fingers and examined it closely. It was a glistening silver ring, adorned with a violet gem placed in the middle, with beautiful gold markings regally sparkling on the sides.

"A… Ring?" The woman nodded.

"It gives the wearer great power to undo mistakes and change the future."

Kent looked skeptical.

"I'll take it!" Sain exclaimed, smiling widely as he reached for his coins.

"You can't be serious…" Kent sighed.

"I'll give it to Lady Lyndis!" said Sain, admiring the ring's features.

"… Do you mean to say that Lady Lyndis makes many mistakes?"

Sain scoffed again. "N-no, not at all… I just thought she would love the ring…"

Kent smiled now.

"Speaking of which, Lady Lyndis wanted us back soon. Shall we get going?"

"Of course," Sain slipped the ring into his pouch of coins before mounting his horse.

"Take care of that ring, it can be quite powerful!" The woman in red waved as they took leave.

Kent brought his voice to a whisper. "Powerful… Could that be a bad idea to hand that to Lady Lyndis?"

Sain shook his head. "I just held it, I felt nothing wrong." he shrugged.

"Mm, you'd better be right…"

**-x-**

When they finally reached the castle, Lyndis came out to assist them in putting the supplies away. Carrying the food into the kitchen was all Kent would let her do, however, as he didn't want her handling all the new weapons they had purchased.

She sighed and replied with, "Kent, you forget I'm the one who helped defeat Nergal."

"I know…" Kent assured her; he still felt the need to protect her.

After everything was put away, Kent, Lyn, Sain and Florina decided to go out to the lush, green castle gardens to relax. The summer breeze blew lightly, causing the greenery to sway. Kent plucked an apple from the tree after Florina asked him to, without any shyness left for him. She and Kent had been spending much time together lately, looking like lovebirds in spring.

"It is a nice day…" Kent sighed, sitting down on the marble bench next to his lavender-haired sweetheart.

Lyn nodded, "summer always was my favourite season…"

She sighed, remembering her days back on the plains of Sacae. The cool breeze sweeping the oceans of grass, the endless blue skies, the songs the birds sung-

"Lady Lyndis?"

She suddenly snapped back into reality with a blink, at hearing Sain call her name.

"Y-yes?"

"I've got a present for you."

She blinked. "For me, why?"

Sain shrugged, finding the ring in his pocket and showing it to her.

"For being a wonderful leader of Caelin, I suppose…" he handed her the ring and she took it in her delicate fingers, holding it to the light and watching it sparkle.

"Sain… It's so beautiful…" she couldn't even take her eyes off it.

"It was nothing, my Lady-oof!" She nearly knocked Sain off of his feet in the lunging embrace she gave him, making Sain turn deep red.

"Thank you, Sain!" She exclaimed, letting him go, slipping the ring on her left-middle finger.

Florina giggled at the scene before taking another bite of her apple, Kent even chuckled as well.

"I love it!" Lyn exclaimed, holding the ring in the sunlight and watching it glitter and shine.

Sain smiled, he was more than happy to bring her such joy.

"My lady, a message from Marquess Pherae." Everyone looked up to see the messenger soldier, holding a scroll. Lyn walked over and took the scroll.

"Is anything wrong?" She asked the soldier, opening the creamy white parchment.

"No, I believe it's an invitation," Lyn nodded to him as she read over the first paragraph.

"Very well, thank you." She smiled; the soldier bowed and stepped back towards the castle.

Sain, Kent, and Florina huddled around Lyn to look at the parchment.

"_Dear Lady Lyndis and company,_

_You are cordially invited to the Grand Ball held this next full moon at castle Pherae._

_Please dress formally and be sure to have a date with you._

_P.S. - Lord Hector will be waiting for you to meet him there; I wouldn't want him to be disappointed! _

_Signed, Lord Eliwood and Lady Ninian."_

Lyn cringed, she couldn't tolerate Hector, and he annoyed her to a great extent, however… The constant arguing seemed to feel attracting…

"My, oh my, Lord Hector seems smitten with you!" Sain proclaimed.

"Sain!" Lyn cried, turning a rosy pink colour. The green knight laughed at her.

"Lady Lyndis, a piece of advice, if I may?" Kent started.

"Yeah?"

"If you were to marry Lord Hector, Caelin would be ruled under Ostia, which could prove useful in the future,"

Lyn thought for a moment.

"You're right, Kent, but… I… I'm not sure I love him…"

"It's your choice, my Lady." Kent nodded, heading back to the castle with Florina following close behind.

Sain shrugged. "I suppose its time I head back into the castle," he waved to her as he turned to leave. "good day, Lady Lyndis."

Lyn just stood there, reading the last paragraph of the letter over and over again.

"Ugh!" She groaned, throwing the message on the ground and heading inside.

**-x-**

Lyn retired to her room after she had dinner that evening, though she had hardly eaten any food, her mind was too clouded with thoughts of Hector.

She sighed to herself as she lay on her bed, what will she do about this?

'_I don't love him… Or do I?' _she actually couldn't tell for sure.

She held her ring up in the moonlight spilling through the window; it glistened and sparkled like earlier.

'_I don't want to be rude… But it's just…' _the ring on her finger changed colour.

Lyn sat up with a shock. "What the-!"

The once violet gem in the middle turned a deep black. Lyn stared; rings don't normally do this, do they?

She gazed at it more, it felt hypnotizing, she felt happy, confused, upset, all at once.

"What is this…?" she felt lightheaded now, and it was getting the best of her.

She fell backwards onto her bed, fainting, as the ring emitted a black mass of energy into the room.

**-x-**

Darkness.

It was so pitch black; she couldn't see her own feet in front of herself.

But it felt warm, so warm… It felt familiar, like back when…

Light. It appeared quickly and grew, enveloping her body in warmth.

'_Where am I…?'_

And then she awoke, however, when she didn't see her room, Lyn gasped.

"W-what happened!?" She cried. "Where am I?"

And then she saw her. Lyn saw her mother, Madelyn.

"… Mother?" Her eyes filled with tears. Had she died and gone to the heavens above, to father sky?

"Oh Lyn, you're awake! Did you have a nice nap?" Her mother called to her.

'_This is a dream; this HAS TO BE A DREAM!' _

"Your father is out hunting now, if you want to find him." Said Madelyn, seemingly oblivious to Lyn's disbelief.

Lyn gasped. "I remember this!"

Her mother looked at her. "Hm? What are you talking about, dear?"

"This! This happened already! Mother, you were here and then father-"

Lyn looked off into the distance to see her father riding back towards the tribe,

"-And then father comes back, see?!"

Madelyn stared at her with concern. "Are you feeling alright?"

Lyn shook her head in disbelief, looking around herself.

The tribe, the gurts, the horses, the plains…It was all so familiar.

"I've gone back in time…"

**To be continued…**

**A/N: So, what do you think? I'm not sure when I can update this, but I'll do my best. There should be around three chapters to this. So review! Or you might not a see an update for awhile, reviews make me happy, and a happy author makes for quick updates! XD**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: So sorry for the wait, the holidays had me quite busy, and then I had to dig up some info on Lyn's past, which made this chapter a bit difficult to write… Also, there's a bit of harsh violence in this chapter, you have been warned. I hope you enjoy. =)**

**EDIT: The scene with the bandits is now correct; thanks to a reviewer who reminded me it was actually poison that let them not be able to fight back. (Thanks Guety!)**

-

Lyn couldn't believe it; she was right back where she started in life, the plains of Sacae.

She thought she would never see her lost tribe again, she thought she would never see her parents again either.

"Lyndis, are you alright?" Her father dismounted his horse and hugged her.

His embrace felt so warm and caring, it had been so very long since she felt a loving feeling like this.

"F-father… I don't ever want you to go away…" She hugged back, not ever wanting to let go.

Madelyn smiled, "Lyndis, we aren't going to leave you, and you know that."

Her husband, Hassar, grinned as well. "You're mother's right; even when we die, we will always be with you, watching from father sky."

'When we die…' The words echoed in Lyn's head. She knew it was only a matter of time before it happened, before the bandits came. She didn't want to let go, she had forgotten what this felt like, having a family was something Lyn had thought she had.

She saw family in Florina, Kent, will, Sain, and even Eliwood and Hector.

But this felt different; it felt closer. But she loved the others just as much, so why was it that she didn't feel this way with them?

Lyn looked up into her father's eyes. "Father… You have to get our tribe out of here…"

He looked at her with concern. "Lyndis, why? Is there something wrong?"

"Its bandits, there is going to be a surprise attack, I know this because-" Lyn stopped speaking, her parents wouldn't believe she was from the future, she couldn't tell them.

"Bandits, Lyndis? I'm sure there is nothing to worry about." Hassar informed his daughter.

Madelyn smiled, "Oh, I just remembered; we need more water to drink. Lyndis, would you mind getting some for us?"

Lyn paused, not wanting to answer. "I…"

It was the water; she remembered how her people were so weak and ill; powerless in combat and left to be slaughtered.

"You can't drink the water…" Lyn mumbled

Unfortunately, her parents would not believe her. Who would, really, time traveling is impossible and her people did not have much knowledge of magic.

"I'll go." Her father declared, turning to leave to the small drinking spring.

Lyn felt helpless; there was no way of telling anyone what was going to happen, not without them labeling her as insane.

What concerned Lyn more was how she got here, and why? The ring obviously had the power to travel through time, but what is the purpose of bringing her here?

**-x-**

Hours later, the sun had set peacefully behind the mountains of Bern that could be seen from the camp.

Lyn sat quietly inside her family's gurt, clutching her legs close to her chest in comfort.

""Mother…" Lyn called to Madelyn, who was stewing something in a pot that stood over a fire in the middle of the room.

"Yes, Lyndis?" She answered, not turning to see her and keeping focused on the pot.

"What if… What if you were poisoned?"

Her mother turned around, looking skeptical. "Well I- I don't know… I would feel very ill; I probably would not be able to defend anyone…" She looked thoughtful, turning back the stewing pot.

Lyn nodded silently, knowing it was only a matter of time until the poison from the water had started to take effect.

Hassar entered the gurt, looking rather tired.

Lyn stood up and hugged her father. "Father, how is everything? Are you well?"

He nodded, smiling. "Yes, yes I… I just a feel a bit tired, Lyndis."

"Tired?" Lyn knew why, of course. The poison from the water had started to take effect on him already.

He patted her shoulder, "I'm sure that it's nothing to worry about…" He coughed after finishing his sentence. Lyn appeared worried.

Suddenly, there was a lot of noise outside. Hassar, Madelyn, and Lyn looked outside to see what the commotion was. People were lying on the ground, looking very ill. Others were tending to the sickly with soup and medicines.

"What is going on?" Hassar addressed one of his tribe members, looking worried.

"Chieftain, it seems our tribe has consumed poison somehow…" The old woman, who was tending to a young boy, looked very weary herself. She was also poisoned.

Hassar looked distressed, "Poison? How?"

Lyn stood close behind her father, listening in on the conversation.

"They say it was the water, sir…"

Hassar clenched his fist, who could do this to his tribe? Poison was a cruel way to erase an entire tribe from existence.

"Chieftain!" A young man ran up to Lyn's father, a grave expression on his features.

"Yes, what is it?"

"Its bandits, there's large numbers of them from all sides of the valley!" the young man that came to report already looked bloody and wounded, Lyn noticed.

"They say they are responsible for the poison in the water, sir!"

Hassar glared off to the hills. "D-damn it…" he cursed weakly, the poison making him ill by every second.

Lyn's heart began to beat rapidly into her throat, she couldn't believe it.

'_This ring is cursed!'_ She thought, glaring at the ring Sain had given her, she angrily tried to pull it off, but no matter what, the ring would not move. It was stuck, and Lyn was stuck as well. Lyndis was stuck in the past to relive the horror she had tried so hard to forget. Tears began to fall from her eyes while she watched the men of the tribe ready their weapons, trying as hard as they could to fight, even though they were very sick. Heading into a loosing battle. Just like before…

"Madelyn, take Lyndis and hide in the gurt, keep her safe!"

Madelyn nodded at the order and turned to Lyn.

Lyn pushed her mother away. "No! No, I won't go, I won't! I'll stay and fight, father, please!"

Madelyn gripped Lyn's arm and led her into the gurt with a fuss.

She yelled and cried as she saw her father unsheathe his sword and run off into the distance.

"He'll be okay, Lyndis, everything will be-"

"No! It won't, nothing will be okay if you don't let me help!" She heard screams from outside, Lyn looked around.

It was terrible.

There were flames engulfing the entire camp. She saw people, her people, falling to the ground and eaten by flames where their bodies were charred to ashes.

Others were slain by sword and axe, and left to bleed until the plains were stained crimson. They were all too ill to fight back; to defend themselves.

She couldn't handle watching it once, now she had witnessed it twice.

Lyn turned around, shaking form the shock.

And then she saw her mother, Lyn couldn't help but scream- a rugged man with a large, sharp axe had sliced through the fabric of the gurt and was advancing on Madelyn.

"No!" Madelyn screeched.

Lyn closed her eyes, within seconds, she heard her scream again and then the terribly innerving sound of iron cleaving flesh filled her ears and sent a chill down her neck.

Her mother was dead.

Lyn started to cry hard, _'how could this be happening. Again!?' _

She was so distraught, she didn't realize the bandit had slain her mother had his axe pointed at her.

Her eyes widened in fear, this was it, maybe she survived the first time, but this time...

The attack was quickly blocked by a sword held in weak, scarred arms. Her father saved her and killed the bandit swiftly.

"There is too many!" He yelled, his voice was hoarse and strained.

He gripped Lyn's arm and pulled her along to his horse, when he reached it, he lifted her up onto it. Lyn remembered this moment all too well.

"Now, Lyndis, I want to go. Go far away from here and don't even think about coming back." He was speaking slowly and sternly, making sure she understood.

"But father, I!-"

"GO!" without giving his daughter any chance to say goodbye, his horse sped away into the hills. Lyndis looked back to see her father, she swore that she saw him smile before the flames around engulfed him.

**-x-**

Lyndis couldn't stop her tears from falling as she sat underneath a large oak tree in the forest nearby, once again trying to pull the ring from her finger.

"Why!? Why won't it come… Off…" She said between sobs.

Hassar's horse stood by Lyn, nuzzling his snout into her neck affectionately, she knew this horse well and knew it would protect her the best it could.

She pet its snout and smiled warmly, letting the tears begin to dry. She couldn't cry forever, where was the point in that? She thought she would just have to do what happened last time; go back, clean up, and try to move on.

Soon, a light emitted from the ring, like before.

"What?" Lyn squinted her eyes from the light as it grew bigger.

Without notice, she fell unconscious and was consumed by darkness.

**-x-**

Florina looked around, confusion on her face. Kent and Sain were there, sitting at the breakfast table but, where was Lyn?

"Good morning, Florina!" Sain greeted once he noticed she had entered the room.

Kent looked up and gave her a nod before continuing his breakfast.

"Where is Lyn?" she asked in a barely audible voice.

"I assumed she just hasn't woken up yet." Sain shrugged, answering the question.

Kent stood up from the table and gave him a stern look. "Lady Lyndis is usually the first to wake up before anyone else."

Florina smiled, agreeing with him. "R-right… So maybe I s-should… Check on her?"

"Wonderful idea, Florina!" said Sain before returning to his egg breakfast.

Florina turned around and disappeared down the stone hallways of the Castle to Lyn's room.

"… Sain," Kent gave his companion a look, San didn't like when Kent had given him that look. It was always the 'you've done something wrong again,' look.

"…Yes, Kent?"

"That ring you gave Lyndis, … Shouldn't you have told her about its power?"

Sain shrugged. "Of course I would have! If I only knew what it was myself."

Kent folded his arms over his chest and eyed his companion firmly.

"What if it poisoned her?"

"Poison? Kent, please, I am sure that woman told us it had amazing powers just so we would give her coins."

"Correction- YOU would give her coins." Kent cut in.

Sain slumped in defeat. "Ah, that's not the point-"

"And what if she wasn't 'just saying that'." Kent raised his voice now, trying to get through to Sain.

"Alright, I know nothing more than you. What do you say we find that woman and ask her ourselves?"

Kent sighed, but smiled. "That is the smartest thing I've heard from your mouth in a long time…"

Sain glared at him before they both left the castle and headed for the stable where their horses awaited.

-x-

Florina slowly walked up to Lyn's bedroom door, she put her ear to the door to listen for movement.

"Lyn?" Nothing responded, so she called louder.

"Lyn? Are you awake?" She grew worried after hearing no sounds.

She opened the door quietly, slowly stepping up to Lyn's bed and checking underneath the covers.

She gasped loudly at the result.

-x-

Sain and Kent had saddled their horses and were about to take leave when they heard Florina's shouting.

"Sir Kent, Sir Sain, Lyn has been…" she ran out to the two men as quickly she could.

"Ah, Florina what is it?" Sain noticed the lavender-haired girl's panic.

She finally reached the two men, panting from running down two flights of stairs and out the large castle doors.

"Lyn… Has been… Missing… Since last night…" She gasped between pants.

Both Kent and Sain looked alert.

"What do you mean, Florina?" Kent inquired.

"H-her bed sheets… They a-are just the way t-they were the other day and Lyn is missing!" Kent noticed her eyes tearing up; he patted the girl softly on her back to console her before glaring at Sain.

"What did _I_ do?" Sain exclaimed, throwing his arms to his sides.

"We will find Lyndis, but first we must find the woman who sold Sain that ring."

"I'm coming with you!" Florina's tiny voice rang.

"Then I'll make room for you on my horse." Kent told her, a small blush appearing on his face.

Sain rolled his eyes. "Yes, everything is just my fault. How did I know the ring was going to kidnap Lyndis somehow, hmm?"

The two knights mounted their horses, with Florina in tow, and began their hunt for the mysterious woman in red.

Kent only prayed that she were still in town, or else no one may see Lady Lyndis ever again.

**To be continued…**

**-**

**A/N: Remember, this story takes place after the events of FE7 and the woman in red is not a real character, she's an OC. Somehow I don't feel like I portrayed the bandit attack well, but that's just me… Reviews, flames, critique, anything, just gimme some feedback, people! ;)**


	3. Chapter 3

Now Lyndis wasn't sure of where she was; after the darkness faded away from the ring on her finger once again, it seemed she was back home in Caelin. But something seemed very different… It was dark and cloudy, though it was only morning.

She walked up to the castle doors slowly, examining everything carefully.

"This is Caelin, but…" Lyn was unsure. It was too cold, too lifeless to be her home.

She glanced down at the ring; it was back to its normal colour now. At least it wouldn't be sending her anywhere else soon, it seems. Lyn was thankful for that.

But where was she now? This clearly was not the Caelin she knew.

Cautiously, she went through the castle doors and into the dark castle inside.

-x-

Kent, Sain and Florina reached Caelin's village as quickly they could, not wasting time to seek out the woman in red who sold Sain the magic ring.

With three pairs of eyes, surely they would find who they were looking for quickly.

And they did …well, Sain did of course. How could he ignore the beautiful woman standing behind the same velvet red table as before?

Kent and Sain dismounted their horses and greeted her, Florina watched from atop Kent's horse.

"Oh, it is you again. The emerald knight from before…" she smiled at them. "Has my ring been treating you well?

Kent gave her a glare. "Miss, your ring has caused something terrible to happen. Lady Lyndis has gone missing." he tried to stay calm, as usual, but the worry for Lyn was fighting to get the best of him.

"Mm, I warned you; the ring's power has taken her to the past… Or her conscience; possibly both."

"But what is the purpose of that?" Sain asked, leaning his elbows on the stand. "And more importantly, how do we bring her back?"

The woman in red closed her eyes and sighed deeply. "Let me tell you a tale of the past," she said. "It is called 'Almi's ring'. It belonged to a Goddess long ago; she was often bothered by men trying to court her. One of the men was a sage, who cursed the piece of jewelry and then gifted it to the Goddess. Oblivious to the curse the sage had imbued into the ring, she slipped it onto her finger. Later, she was sent to her past."

Kent and Sain listened closely.

"You see, the purpose of sending one back in time; is to undo one's mistakes…"

"What if there were no mistakes. What then?" said Kent.

"Then… There is a reason, still. The power will change and take it's bearer to their deep conscience. Only then, will they realize their true mistake…" she folded her arms over her chest, the long red sleeves of her robe swaying. "Is there anything else you need to ask?"

"Well, how and when can she come back?" asked Sain, looking hopeful.

"That is something only she can do, I'm afraid."

Kent nodded to Sain. "Then we will wait. It seems there is nothing else we can do."

Florina dismounted Kent's horse and spoke up. "Um… Lord E-Eliwood's ball was tonight… If Lyn is not back by then, L-lord Hector will-"

Sain patted the small girl's shoulder. "She'll be back by then. Lady Lyndis is capable of handling things on her own. Why, I'm sure she is already halfway finished with everything, already."

"I hope you're right…"

Kent sighed, at least someone was hopeful, but what if Lyn was going through something more complex than that?

-x-

Lyn found the throne of the castle, her grandfather sat here often. However, the gold that held the chair together was tarnished and rusty, it hardly glistened.

Lyn remembered how she could see her reflection in it before, but that wasn't possible now. She looked around, what had happened to her castle? Her country?

She walked forward, finding a picture frame lying on the ground, the glass was shattered all around and the photo itself was torn and smudged with dust.

She picked it up, looking closely at the couple in the picture, a man and a woman.

The woman's hair was short and blue; she almost looked familiar to Lyn.

The man, Lyn recognized right away as Hector.

"What is this?" She whispered. Confused as to why this picture was here.

"Lyn…" Lyn spun around at hearing her voice, but she saw nothing but darkness in the room.

"Who's there, show yourself!" she yelled, still not finding anyone that could have spoken to her.

"…Lyn…" Lyn turned around once again and gasped. Someone was lying on the floor, lying in blood.

"Oh, are you… alright? What has happened?" Lyn knelt down closer to see the man's face. The result shocked her. "Hector!"

Hector looked older than before, Lyn noted. He had a terrible wound in his side, causing him much pain.

"…Lyn… You…" Hector choked on his words.

"Hector… I… I don't know what to do, how did this happen to you?"

Hector lifted his arm weakly and pointed to her face. "…You."

Her eye's widened. "M-me?"

Suddenly, Hector disappeared from his place in her arms. Lyn winced at the spark of light that emitted when he disappeared.

"Lyn… I loved you." She turned around and found Hector again, now standing and his wounds healed.

"What is going on!?" she demanded.

"You never returned my love." Hector bellowed. "No matter how much I tried, you still denied it."

"Hector, no, I-"

"And you know what happened? I died. I died fighting a war that started right after you left us!"

"Hector, I didn't leave! What are you talking about?" Lyn was almost brought to tears, she really did love Hector and would never leave, no matter what. So what was he talking about?

"The night of the ball, you remember don't you?" Hector said. "I was going to tell you… I was going to say those three words. …Then you never showed up. No one ever saw you again."

Lyn fell to the floor, her knees giving out on her from the shock.

"I-I would never…" The ring on her finger emitted an eerie black glow. "No… It's all because of his ring. Hector, it's this ring!" She began to cry now, wishing Sain had never given her this cursed piece of jewelry.

"Please… I never wanted this to happen, I never wanted to leave! I never wanted to witness the murder of my tribe!"

"Then your journey is almost complete…" Hector's bellow echoed through the halls of castle Caelin.

Lyn looked up at him through tear-filled eyes. "Journey…?"

Hector's cold shadow nodded. "This, Lyn, is your journey to find which direction in life you must go. That ring …that 'cursed ring' is there to show you that."

Lyn looked down at the ring again. "…How?"

"Long ago a sage gave that ring to his loved one; this woman he loved… was stubborn and did not return the love he gave. So he cursed the ring, forcing the woman to find her true feelings. Whether she wanted to or not."

Soon, Hector's shadow twisted and curled to form a woman.

"… That woman was me." The new voice came.

Lyn appeared confused, but stood up. "Who are you?"

The woman stepped closer to the green haired girl, who eyed her closely.

"I am Almi. I… am the stubborn girl who would not return that sage's love…" Almi, the Goddess; looked very beautiful, but sadness made that beauty fade. "Because of that, I was forever trapped inside the ring, forever to wander in my conscience…"

Lyn glanced at Almi, looking pitiful. But she continued.

"You see, now that you have left your world; life has gone on without you. Hector married to a mercenary, but everyone knew he missed you dearly."

"But I didn't leave! Why doesn't anyone understand that!?" Lyn shouted, becoming frustrated with all of this.

"This," Almi held out her arms and gave the entire castle a glance. "Is an alternate world. This is what would have happened."

Lyn clenched her fists. "I want to go home! I want to see everyone again… I need to see Hector again. … The _real_ Hector."

Almi smiled solemnly, waving an arm to her side; creating a pool of warm, white light.

"Then go…"

Lyn stared at the goddess, unsure if this was real or not. Almi nodded for her to step in, but not before holding out her hand for something.

"What is it?" Lyn asked.

"The ring. Give it to me and no one will ever need to bear all of this again. … It's my entire fault; let me be the one to wander here alone for eternity."

Lyn held onto her hand over her chest. "… Alright." She slipped the ring off; finally, it came off without struggle after all the times she tried before. Then she set it gently in Almi's open hand.

"Thank you…" whispered Almi. With that, she faded into a shadow once again and disappeared into the darkness.

Lyn looked into the open light she had left, swallowed, then slowly stepped in; engulfed by warmth.

-x-

Florina sighed, fiddling with a lock of her wavy lavender hair.

"It's nearing dusk, Kent. How much longer are we going to stand out here waiting?" Sain asked, also bored and polishing his Silver sword. Again.

Kent yawned before saying, "However long it takes for Lyn to come back to us."

"Maybe she had already appeared in the castle, waiting for us." Sain argued.

Kent simply let out a deep sigh as response.

The sky had turned a shade of orange long ago, and was already fading to a soft violet. With peach-coloured clouds off in the distance, the sun set slowly behind the mountains off yonder.

"Poor Lyn." Florina squeaked suddenly. "I hope she's alright-"

"-Hope who is alright?"

Everyone turned to find the source of the new voice. Hector was found, his arms crossed against his chest; looking a bit worried.

"Lord Hector, how is everything?" Sain said, trying to change the subject.

"Who isn't doing well? Florina just said-"

Florina waved her arms defensively. "L-lord H-h-hector, I w-was just… Um…"

Hector's brow raised high in suspicion. "What is going on? Where is Lyndis?"

Kent sighed. "She… is not here yet. We are waiting for her."

Hector eyed Florina and Sain, who were still looking suspicious.

Kent spoke again, "Well… Lord Hector, you see, Sain sent her to another time or universe or… something."

"Why is it MY fault?!" cried Sain, throwing his arms in the air.

Hector appeared more worried than he did just a moment ago. "Um… I don't know too much about magic. But, she is coming back, right?"

Everyone looked at the ground gravely.

"…Blast."

Florina looked off into the distance, scanning the area for any sign of Lyn.

Then a silhouette appeared from afar, clearly a tall woman with long hair.

Florina gasped. "Lyn!?"

Everyone else turned to where the lavender haired Pegasus knight was pointing to, eyes widening in joy at seeing their princess unharmed.

Florina ran to her, catching her best friend in a warm embrace. "Lyn! Lyn, oh Lyn!"

"Florina!" Lyn returned the embrace tightly.

Then Hector ran up to them, Sain and Kent close behind.

"Lyn." Hector looked at her up and down, relief waved over him as he realized she was physically unharmed.

Lyn noticed Hector's glance and let go of Florina.

"…Hector." Her eyes wept tears as she went to embrace him.

The Ostian Lord was taken back by the girl's sudden emotion. Before, she would not even want anywhere near the Lord, but now…

"Lyn, are you okay? Hector asked her.

"I am now, Hector… I am now…."

-x-

"Thank you all for coming, and have a good time!" Lord Eliwood toasted a glass with his wife, Ninian. Announcing the start of the grand ball.

Florina blushed as Kent took her hand in hers and led her off to dance, her long lavender hair was tied back with a large sky-blue bow, and her dark violet dress complimented the rest of her attire. Kent wore a simple black tuxedo, with a red tie, of course.

Sain was seen looming around the punch bowl, chatting up the many maidens of Pherae while adjusting his green bowtie every time one of them asked who he was.

Two people stood on the upper balcony of the castle. Looking happy and talking to each other.

"So… Your past, huh?" Hector was very intrigued by Lyn's story of her adventure.

"Yes… But it made me realize something- I have a lot more good friends than I did back then." She laughed.

Lyn was wearing a long, black dress; long slits in the side showed off her long slender legs like her normal outfit would. Her hair was strung up into a bun atop her head.

Hector stared at her.

"Lyn… I was afraid you weren't going to come back. I thought, well, I thought…"

"You thought I wasn't going to come here with you?" Lyn finished.

"…Yeah."

She smiled, "I didn't think I was earlier."

Hector looked surprised. "What?"

Lyn looked at her hand where Almi's ring once constricted her finger.

"I… I learned my real feelings. That ring showed me where to go… And it pointed me to you."

She smiled again, worrying she sounded silly talking about a piece of jewelry like that.

"I'm glad, Lyn." Said Hector, wrapping his arms around her. "I really love you."

Lyn sighed of pleasure and hugged him. "I know, Hector. Me too…"

They just stayed that way for what felt like an eternity. Just letting their feelings be set free.

"My, my, isn't this a scene?" Sain poked his head around the corner, looking intrigued with Lyn and Hector's situation.

"SAIN!" Lyn yelped, jumping away from Hector. Hector sweatdropped.

Now Sain doubled over in laughter, "Ha ha ha-Lyndis you-hahahahah ha!"

Lyn stomped on his foot, causing him to choke on his laughter and scream in pain.

"Sain, mind your own business, please." Lyn folded her arms and looked at him as if he were her child, telling him to behave like this.

"Oh come off it, Lyndis. I was just going to congratulate you two…" Sain whimpered.

Hector laughed. "That's fine then." He looked at Lyn, "Right, Lyn?"

She smiled slightly. "…Of course, Hector."

The night went on 'till the sun sneaked up behind the mountains again. And every second of that night, Lyn spent with Lord Hector.

And she knew he was the right direction in life.

The End.

**A/N: Ahhhhh, it sucks, doesn't it? Anyway, I edited chapter two a little, so check that out if you get a chance…**


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